Frozen Desires (Asylums for Magical Threats 2)

“So you don’t get lost or try to run away. Not that I’d mind if you wanted to admire my muscles while you’re at it.” He winked. “I’m about to use my god-like powers to save your ass again.”

While she was anxious to get away from Richard, she was also curious to see some of Marco’s other tricks. She still hadn’t figured out why he had such strong control over his elemental water.

Of course, she couldn’t pass up warning him. “Any funny business, like back in the jungle, and your dick won’t be in any shape to come out and play anytime soon.” She ignored his chuckle and wrapped her hand around his bicep, letting her nails graze his skin. His muscles bunched and flexed as he put his hand out in position to the west, and she waited to see what he’d do.

The air around her feet became extremely humid, and warmer, before a sheet of ice started to form a few feet over their heads. As the ice expanded and grew, a fog cloud started to form somewhere in between the ice and the street. She watched as the fog thickened to the point where she could barely make out Marco’s form next to her.

She’d seen first-borns use their elemental abilities before, but never anything like this. She couldn’t help but whisper, “Are you sure you’re not a Talent?”

Marco’s arm tensed under her hand, and for once, she wished she could see his face. “No, now shush. I’m trying to concentrate.”

She’d allow that comment to pass, only because she needed his help to escape Richard. While she could use her speed or one of her other secret tricks, she much preferred someone else using their abilities. That way she could keep hers a secret for as long as possible. Marco knew some of them, but not all.

When she could see no more than a few inches in front of her face, she felt Marco’s hand reach over and push against her hip. “Move behind me and put your hands on my waist.”

His hand lingered, his heat soaking into her skin. As she stepped behind him and his hand fell away, she tried not to think about how his touch affected her. But then again, he’d probably perfected the technique with countless other women. That thought kicked her head back into the game.

As soon as she placed her hands around his lean waist, Marco started moving and it took everything she had to let him lead her along rather than just push him aside and blaze a path herself.

Chapter Eleven

As Marco guided Cam out of the second fog trap he’d created, she readjusted her hands on his waist, and he fought the urge to cover her hands with his own. For someone so strong, Cam’s touch was light, almost delicate. He wondered what it would feel like to have those deceivingly delicate-feeling hands roam his body before gripping his ass. Then he checked himself, banishing the image. The last thing he needed was for Cam to see him sporting an erection.

Despite what people thought of him, Marco rarely bedded any of the women he flirted with. Even now, his grandfather’s words filled his head: Make people love you so they’ll never suspect what you’re capable of doing, but remember never to allow them close enough to discover the truth. While Grandpa Herrera’s words had never failed him in the past, Marco wished at times that he could ignore them.

Hell, there were days he wanted to forget everything his grandfather had ever taught him and live life as a normal person.

Of course, that would never happen. The best he could hope for was to find someone who would listen to his biggest secret and understand the need to keep it.

The fog cleared, and like before, Cam removed her hands straight away and moved to walk beside him. Using his elemental abilities was always a risk, but part of him wanted to create more fog so Cam would have to hold onto him again.

Marco took the lead and they weaved through the side streets of Merida in silence. Eventually Marco stilled, cocked his head to the side, and strained his ears. After an hour of zigzagging through the streets, he was pretty confident that the tall blond man was no longer following them. Rather than risk meeting with Cam’s teammates and leading the blond man to them, he was going to take her somewhere the man couldn’t go. Only then would he be confident they were safe.

He looked to Cam and raised his eyebrows in question. Since they’d done this a number of times on the way, she knew he was asking if she heard anything. Judging from what had happened back in the jungle two nights ago, her hearing was far keener than his, probably due to whatever latent ability she’d inherited. Marco knew some of the old stories and legends, but he had yet to figure out what latent abilities she actually possessed.

Cam squinted her eyes as she looked one way and then the other. Her expression could only be described with a word he’d never thought he’d use for Camilla—adorable—and contrasted greatly with her threat to abuse his cock. Not that he wouldn’t mind a little abuse, just not the kind that involved steel-like claws and a temper.

Okay, maybe a little bit of claws and temper.

Whoa, boy, you need to tone that shit down. Hundreds of women had thrown themselves at him over the years, but he’d only been tempted a handful of times. So why was he having such a hard time ignoring the one woman with whom he had no chance?

Careful to keep his expression light to hide his thoughts, he met her gaze again and she shook her head. “I don’t hear anything unusual.”

He was putting a lot of trust in Cam’s words, but the terror he’d seen on her face earlier had been genuine. That was good enough for now. He motioned down the street and said, “Then follow me.”

Marco went down one last street, and checking to make sure that Cam was right behind him, entered a fairly nondescript two-story house. The door led into a hallway with another more solid door at the end. Marco knocked out a few beats and a panel slid open. A pair of brown eyes studied both him and Cam.

This wasn’t the first time he’d visited this place. He knew nothing would happen until someone gave the correct pass-phrase, so Marco said in Spanish, “Take what I want and never forfeit.”

The small panel slid closed, and as the sound of the door being unlocked filled the hallway, he stole a glance at Cam and said, “Follow my lead and try not to say anything.”

She opened her mouth but the door opened and cut her off, revealing a stocky, muscular man with close cropped hair. The man nodded them inside and Marco slapped the man on the shoulder. “Thanks, Garcia. If someone comes looking for us, keep them out and I’ll buy you a drink later.”

Garcia nodded, and Marco pulled Cam inside. A few feet in, he stopped to scan the empty booths. His usual booth in the far corner was empty, but before he guided Cam over, he noticed that she was being unusually quiet. Since she’d never really followed his orders before, he glanced at her face to see if something was wrong, and saw a mixture of curiosity and heat. Following her gaze, he saw the couple in the corner having sex with their clothes mostly still on.

He imagined him and Cam in the couple’s place, but quickly pushed the image aside. He had a reputation here, and if he kept standing in the middle of the room, daydreaming, he would blow his cover.

He grabbed Cam’s hand and yanked her toward the far corner.